Zola Moon

Born in San Jose, CA, blues singer and songwriter Zola Moon possesses a commanding vocal style that often leads audiences to assume her roots lie in the Deep South, specifically Louisiana or Mississippi, regions long celebrated for nurturing exceptional blues talent. Though self-taught, she cites a wide array of inspirations, among them B. B. King, Muddy Waters, Hank Williams, and Tina Turner, yet she has consistently labored to maintain a distinctive musical identity separate from those sources.

Moon launched her blues career around 1983 in the San Francisco area. Seven years of steady performances built a substantial following before she issued her first album, Dangerous Love, in 1990 on the BareMoon Records label. Five years afterward she delivered her second release, Lost in the Blues, on a different imprint, followed by Almost Crazy in 1998 and Earthquakes, Thunder, and Smiling Lighting in 2000. Among the original compositions featured across her recordings are “Doll House,” “Lucky Me,” “I Look at the Fool,” “Imagination,” “Alley Cat,” “Hollywood to the Hood,” and “I Don’t Think So.”

She has appeared at numerous concerts, festivals, and nightclubs alongside artists such as Etta James, Junior Wells, Al Kooper, Albert Collins, and Elvin Bishop. Her longstanding band includes drummer Jerry Olson, guitarist Vince “the Silver Fox” Joy, and bassist Ron Battle.